How to Produce Biltong
Biltong Production - Technical Brief
Technology challenging poverty
Biltong Production
Biltong is a dried meat snackfood, common in southern Africa.
Its production is now a popular income-generating activity and new methods of processing are being introduced. Figure 1 shows the meat being hung to dry in a biltong dryer made from a wooden frame with mosquito netting.
Figure 1: Biltong production in Botswana © Keith Machell
It is made using the following procedure:
• Prepare a brine mixture according to the following recipe (for 100kg of fresh meat-brine mixture i.e. 1 week’s production).
|
Salt |
3.74kg |
|
Sugar |
1.87kg |
|
Potassium nitoate |
0.02kg |
|
Biltong spice mixture |
0.37kg |
|
Mixed spice |
0.21kg |
|
Black pepper |
0.10kg |
|
Onion powder |
0.03kg |
|
Garlic powder |
0.03kg |
|
Ground ginger |
0.03kg |
|
Mustard powder |
0.03kg |
|
Potassium sorbate |
0.20kg |
• Select beef from hindquarter and cut into strands along the muscle fibres. Cut across the muscle fibres to produce 2cm pieces. Discard all fat and connective tissue.
• Wash the meat and weigh.
• Rub the brine mixture into 93.4kg meat and leave it to stand for 12 hours.
• Hang the meat in the sun under insect netting.
• Dry until the meat reaches 25% of the original weight.
• Package in polythene or preferably cellulose bags.
Equipment required
Scales (0-10kg)
Scales (0-1kg)
Knives
Cutting boards
Heat sealer
Plastic or stainless steel buckets
Insect netting
Equipment suppliers
Note: This is a selective list of suppliers and does not imply endorsement by Practical Action.
Scales
Avery Berkel
Foundry Lane
Smethwick
B66 2LP
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 870 90 34343
Fax: +44 (0)870 90 50085
E-mail: Info@averberkel.com
Website: http://www.averyberkel.com
Heat sealer
Alvan Blanch
Chelworth
Malmesbury
SN16 9SG
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1666 577333
Fax: +44 (0)1666 577339
E-mail: info@alvanblanch.co.uk
Website: http://www.alvanblanch.co.uk
Heat sealer
Fisher Scientific UK Ltd
Bishop Meadow Road
Loughborough
LE11 5RG
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 1509 231166
Fax: +44 (0) 1509 231893
E-mail: info@fisher.co.uk
Website: http://www.fisher.co.ukT
References and further reading
Production of Biltong Food Chain Journal No 32 May 2003, ITDG
Small-scale Manufacture of Beef Biltong in Botswana, The Botswana Technology Centre, 1987
Practical Action, The Schumacher Centre for Technology & Development
Bourton Hall, Bourton-on-Dunsmore, Rugby, Warwickshire CV23 9QZ, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1926 634400 Fax: +44 (0)1926 634401 E-mail: Infoserv@practicalaction.org.uk Web: http://www.practicalaction.org
Intermediate Technology Development Group Ltd Patron HRH -The Prlnce of Wales. KG, KT, GCB
Company Rag. No 871954, England Rag. Charity No 247257 VAT No 241 5154 92
